HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: Robbinsville-Pennsbury rematch on tap

Weather permitting, the highlight high school softball game of the season will take place when No. 3 Pennsbury (15-2) travels to No. 1 Robbinsville (19-1) for a 7 p.m. start at Tantum Park tonight.It all gets underway with The Trentonian pre-game show on WBCB1490.com, and promises to be another classic after Pennsbury defeated the Ravens in 10 innings last year in the first meeting between the two clubs.

“The girls are very excited,’’ confirmed Robbinsville coach Christine Cabarle, whose team held a team pasta party last night in order to pump up for the Falcons. “There’s no pressure in this game. Our girls would rather play a great team and lose than not play a great team like Pennsbury at all.’’

Robbinsville comes into the game ranked No. 1 in the state after beating former No. 1 Washington Township in the finals of the Rancocas Valley Tourney. The Raven names are familiar, including pitcher and standout hitter Lauren Fischer, superlative catcher Rebecca Freeman and dynamite leadoff hitter Leanna Gearhart.

Pennsbury counters with an exceptional lineup full of hitting and speed. Showing the way is lead-off batter Christina Bascara, who has been crushing the ball all year and has five home runs.

She’s followed by the likes of slapper Jess Greenwald as well as power hitters Mackenzie Obert and Suzanne Swanicke. The pitcher is Val Buehler, who has come up huge in some big games for Pennsbury, including last year’s win over Robbinsville.

Hopefully, this game will happen tonight because it’s very unlikely it could be rescheduled next week.

“We know how good Robbinsville is,’’ said Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry. “If we are going to win this game, we will have to play as well as we did last year.’’

Echoed Buehler: “It’s already a great rivalry; it’s sort of a New Jersey vs. Pennsylvania type of thing. I won’t be around next year, but I hope the teams keeps playing. It’s great competition.’’

BRISTOL SOFTBALL NIGHTPennsbury-Robbinsville isn’t the only big collision on tap because Pennsbury and No. 2 Neshaminy are set to meet for the second time this year on Tuesday night. Neshaminy won the first game and Pennsbury needs to win to share the SONL title.

The “Softball Night in Bristol’’ starts at 5 p.m. with Bristol hosting Truman prior to the Pennsbury-Neshaminy game. This twinbill is also noteworthy because it’s a fundraiser to raise money for Jean Shapcott, a 20-year-old Bristol graduate and current Kutztown University student who has been stricken with a rare form of liver cancer.

The “Green for Jean’’ campaign has already received all kinds of support in the Bristol community, and both the Bristol and Neshaminy players have been wearing green ribbons in their hair to aid in the cause.

Businesses or individuals who would like to sponsor the night are welcome. For $100 a donor gets to be the sponsor of one inning in each game. Anyone interested in sponsoring an inning should contact Bristol coach Mike Lalli at 267-231-8352.

REAP WHAT YOU SOWRemember a couple of weeks ago when it was mentioned you will no longer read about the Hunterdon Central softball team in these pages following the disgraceful treatment of legendary ex-coach Pete Fick?

Sure enough, at last check Hunterdon Central had a record of something like 7-8, which is more losses than Fick often had in three years combined. Apparently, there’s also all kinds of grumbling and other problems, including something about a Sweet 16 party.

Although you have to feel bad for the Central players themselves, the plain fact of the matter is the Central administration completely screwed up and deserves all the criticism directed its way.

Unfortunately, there are some other glaring example of great programs being ruined by incompetent administrators. Topping that list is the demise of Cherokee after it lost coach Mike “Doc’’ Medrick for reasons that easily could have been avoided.

Cherokee, of course, is universally regarded as the greatest program in New Jersey softbal; history with eight Group IV titles. Ever since Medrick left it’s been pretty much straight downhill for the Chiefs.

PARENT OF WEEKQuite frankly, it may be about time to put this Parent of the Week thing to rest and it’s not because this weekly item has become stale.

In addition to providing a few laughs, the idea behind the Parent of the Week was to maybe get one or two parents to stop making fools out of themselves and embarrassing their daughters.

Unfortunately, the exact opposite has happened with the moms and dads behaving more deplorably than ever.

There’s no need to get into detail because the last thing we want is some lawyer on the phone, but according to reports at a recent game in the area a parent allegedly punched a coach in the face.

Acting stupid is one thing. Assaulting a coach is another. It’s almost like people want to be the Parent of the Week.

SAY IT AIN’T SOPrinceton High coach Dave Boehm said he would shave his head and get a blue mohawk if his team ever set a school record with 10 wins. The Tigers reached that mark this week, but Boehm was not sporting his new “do’’ yesterday.

Boehm says he will still get his hair dyed, but mumbled something about waiting to after some sort of function at a country club tomorrow. We never thought we’d see the day a softball coach would care what a bunch of pompous, pansy and rich country club guys would think.